The Future
by wolfdancer333
Summary: 20 years goes by way too quickly. Yhwach's threats for the future have left Ichigo and Rukia's Fate shattered. Is there any way to repair their bond or will it fade away in the fear of Yhwach's futures?
1. Ichika's Resolve

**A/N:** Hello! I'm back with...whatever the hell this is! XD I hope you read this and take away something from it. Your future is yours. Live it the way you want to live it and live it happily! :) Anyway, on to the story! Hope you enjoy.

Ten years seems like such a long time frame when you look back but in reality, it's actually so short compared to her infinite lifespan. She could die, of course, on the battlefield and in so many different ways, too…..But she wasn't mortal and ten years to her was nothing. For Ichigo? It was so much more than that. She hadn't realized the extent of time until she saw him standing in the clinic doorway, arm against a glass door, and still the same Ichigo but _older_. Those compassionate eyes were the same and that orange hair was as vibrant as always. But there were more lines and creases where there hadn't been.

His abs from lack of fighting had lost their taut firmness and he looked….Happy. For some reason, that had stung her. At first she played it off that she had thought he would have missed her more than that – as much as she missed him, thinking of all those lonely nights spent up weeping and contemplating. Time drug on as it always did, ticking like a clock, until one day, Ichika was no longer the eccentric 5 year old but as another ten years passed, that little girl became Rukia's 15 year old lieutenant with the shocking, spiky red hair and her own set of branded tattoo's.

She wore the lieutenant badge with pride and a wide grin that Rukia had vowed to herself she would fall in love with. That little girl had become a teenager – which was still _nothing_ compared to how long her daughter would live but Rukia didn't know how to tell her how lonely those years would be…..Unless…..It was only she that remained lonely – and as powerful as her parents, often pushing her Ba-ji-ji to his limits. Her Bankai had yet to make an appearance but Shunsui was positive she would hit the mark before she turned 18.

There was a husband who loved her, a brother who had proven his affection, a daughter to be proud of, a family that should have made her want nothing else, and she wore the white Captain's robe – oh how she missed Ukitake and sometimes still wept for him – that was more precious than anything she truly owned. And yet…..The more time passed, the more ten years flew by her, that deep abyss inside of her became only more empty, yawning only wider. She should be happy and yet…...She was not.

She loved Ichika more than she needed air to breathe, unable to regret that powerful little girl that had come from her, and she didn't regret marrying someone who loved her unconditionally. Renji loved her and he knew she wouldn't be able to love him back, not completely and not the way he loved her. Rukia had thought, over the last 20 years, she had been discreet about it all, had hidden the secrets of herself locked in that deep, icy place she never went to any more in fear of facing the things she was running from – sometimes, Shirayuki would give the starry, moonlit night a wistful, longing look and Rukia had to clench her fists tight to ignore her zanpakuto spirit's loneliness that echoed of her own.

On those nights, it had taken everything in her not to dwell on the past. But memories were horrible creatures that clawed at her mind, leaving behind deep, scarred grooves that ached every time her mind even wandered over them. She had thought no one had noticed but she had been wrong. This night, staring up at the speckled navy sky, she had never expected to come face-to-face with the truth she had shoved aside.

At the soft footfalls, she smiled and glanced over. Striding across the engawa, her small bare feet hitting the wood with a quiet thump, was Ichika. Her red hair – usually piled into a spiky bun or twisted into a ponytail that towered above the back of her head like red flames – was tied in a braid that dangled down to the middle of her back. Her white sleeping yukata was tight around her to protect her from the cold winds that rustled in the trees, stirring the grass of the Kuchiki Gardens. Arms crossed over her chest and eyes focused on her mother, Rukia thought she looked so much like her father that they could be twins.

She watched the teen approach her, expecting Ichika to clamber into her lap for a cuddle, but she paused at the steps leading down into the Gardens and simply stood there. Her gaze dropped to the grass as her toes curled and uncurled into the cool wood of the engawa, Rukia's sharp gaze narrowing on the tell tale signs of her daughter's nervousness. For her entire 15 years, Ichika had _never_ hesitated but especially not with Rukia. The two shared a 'tell-all' relationship and there were no secrets – besides the ones she stored in her heart.

Looking back up at the crescent moon hanging in the sky, Rukia tilted her head back, her long black hair blowing in the cold breeze. Cold fingertips brushed against her skin, dancing over her neck and making her smile. Her yukata, half-haphazardly thrown on, was crooked and revealing way too much skin but she couldn't be bothered to fix it. A horse, she thought suddenly. Ichika was like a horse. If startled or confronted, she would run or lash out so Rukia waited, knowing when the red haired girl was ready, she would talk.

There was a deep, frustrated sigh and then the words were blurted into the open air with all the grace of a teenager. "Why did you marry Dad?"

Her violet orbs blinked quickly, surprise washing over Rukia's face as she stared at the moon. "What do you mean why?"

"Well, what else do ya think I mean? _Why_?" There was a hint of desperation, as if the question was of dire importance.

Pondering her words carefully, not wanting to lie – but definitely not wanting to admit the complete truth – Rukia settled for the response she had given a thousand times when asked – why did everyone ask her why she married Renji? She knew why but she kept the lie bundled around her like a shield. "Because I love him."

"Do you?" The voice behind her uttered softly.

The quiet, peacefulness of the night shattered around her as Rukia's heart thudded in her chest at the implications. Did Ichika know? Letting out a quiet exhale, she asked, "I do. Why do you ask?"

The hesitation hung heavily between them and finally, deciding, in pure Ichika fashion, to stop hiding behind whatever wall of words she had decided to protect herself with, shouted out, "Because it isn't enough! Because – Because I saw it! I saw you….."

There were tears in Ichika's voice and Rukia rushed to her feet, turning around to face her daughter. Such a small girl she was when she was huddled with her face in her hands as tears sparkled from her cheeks. She hiccuped before she continued, her voice soft but hoarse. "I saw you with Kazu's Dad, with Ichigo….Mom, why? Why did you…..Why did you look so….happy? So – So sad?"

When Ichika's large, watery violet pools – so much like her own – looked up at her, Rukia was struck and the walls inside of her burst open like a flood dam breaking. Black lashes fluttered closed as she sagged against the cold wind pressing at her back, knowing what she had to do but dreading it anyway. There was no easy way to shatter the lies she had built but Ichika deserved the truth, she deserved an honest mother who, despite her traitorous heart, loved the crying teen girl falling apart before her.

Sighing, Rukia opened her eyes and held out a small hand. "Come, Ichika. Let's…..Let's talk. Walk with me?"

Sniffling and scrubbing her eyes with the sleeve of one arm, she grasped her mother's hand tight with her other, her grip almost crushing. Rukia squeezed back, holding tight and anchoring her daughter to her, soothing her by letting her reiatsu lap against the electrifying vibrancy of Ichika's, the teen's crackling as it curled into the sanctity of Rukia's soul. The two, mother and daughter, walked barefoot together through the Gardens, silent as they approached the large pond in the middle surrounded by beautiful plants, flowers, shrubs, and trees.

A fish plopped out of the water, scales glistening in the light of the moon, before diving back into the water with a quiet splash. Somewhere near them, a sōzu made of bamboo clunked, followed by the swishing of water. A small stone bridge crossed over the large pond and Rukia drew here to a halt. The moon washed over them as some crickets braved the cold to sing their song, a frog joining in and croaking gently from somewhere in the shrubbery. Hesitantly pulling her hand from Ichika's, she turned and faced the moon, drawing on Shirayuki for the first time in years.

 _"I need you, Shira. Please, hold me together. Don't let me break."_ She whispered internally, laying her petite hands against the cold stone of the bridge.

Shirayuki's reply was instantaneous and strong, levelling Rukia's anxiety. _"I'm here. And I will never let you break."_

She took a deep breath of moist, cold air that sunk into her lungs, breathing in the moonlight as if she could somehow draw forth the glistening light into herself. "Ichika. Tell me: what made you bring this up?"

Gaining strength, the wind ruffled the bottom of her loose yukata, twisting it sideways. She heard Ichika curse and smiled, reprimanding her. "Don't be an ingrate like your father."

Her daughter snorted. " _No one_ can be an ingrate like him."

A comfortable silence fell and Rukia wondered if this was a mistake but then Ichika was never one for subtly. "You don't love Dad…..Do you?"

The smart girl tacked it as a question but Rukia's heart sunk into the cold abyss that had become her chest for the past 20 years as she realized that it _wasn't_ a question at all. Swallowing past the knot in her throat, Rukia's violet orbs fell to her white hands against the hard gray of the stone bridge.

"I love your Dad, Ichika. Renji was – is my best friend. Without him, I would never have survived to become who I am now."

It was the truth but Ichika wasn't buying it. Her voice was stronger when she spoke again, sure and firm, convinced in her words. "I know you _love_ him, Mom. But you don't love him the way _he_ loves _you_."

Mouth dry, she managed to ask, "And how do I not love him the way he loves me?"

Crackling reiatsu dulled to a muted rumble as Ichika reeled in her soul and Rukia closed her eyes in preparation but nothing could have prepared her for what bluntly left her daughter's lips, her voice sounding both tender and bitter. "Because you have never looked at him the way you looked at Ichigo. Mom, it was…." There was a tremor in her voice but she pushed on, Rukia's heart sinking deeper. " _That_ was love. I could – I felt the way your reiatsu and his, it was…."

Rukia heard her swallow but Ichika's soft, teary voice broke, resigned to acceptance. "It was like your souls just fit, like a puzzle. It was – It was like coming home, all warm and happy…. Why did it feel right, Mom? Why didn't I –"

Ichika's voice broke as she cried, her voice cracking through the gut wrenching sobs that twisted Rukia's heart into a cold, bitter knot. "Why wasn't I disgusted with you? Why couldn't I hate him? Why, why, why _why_ , _**why**_!?"

Her fingers dug into the palm of her hand, biting into the tender skin as her daughter screamed at her, begged for her mother to tell her why Rukia didn't love them like she knew she should. Everything inside of her demanded she take Ichika into her arms and hold her but she refrained. Her black hair whistled in the wind, blowing to the side like tendrils of darkness as she took a shuddering breath.

"I love you, Ichi. And I love Renji, I love your Dad. I do." The begging in her own voice quieted Ichika's sobbing, the heart broken teen shinigami clutching at her own arms to shoulder through the pain she was feeling. And Rukia knew, with a sinking, drowning clarity, that it was time.

The feelings she had shoved into a dark corner of her soul flared up as tears stung her own violet orbs, hanging off black lashes as she blinked quickly to clear them before her daughter could see them. Forbidden words stumbled from her parted mouth, a cold truth-biting snake that slithered to her daughter and dug it's acidic fangs into the tender, broken flesh of her crumbling heart. Rukia watched Ichika's eyes, mirrors of her own, as her heart shattered in those inky depths. "But I love Ichigo more."

The Captain had never hated herself more than this moment. For 20 years she had hid behind an icy wall, denying everything she had ever felt even to herself. If she could convince herself she didn't love the idiotic fool, she could move on and be happy. What a sinful, heart breaking lie that had been. Not a day had went by in 20 years that Rukia didn't regret what could have been. Looking into those blown wide pupils, that trembling bottom lip, and those fingers dug into her arms, Rukia hated herself…..She hated herself for the emotions – the regret, the shame – that _weren't_ there.

Instead of remorse all she felt was relief, that finally, she had spoken the words aloud. All she could do was wait, her breath held, for Ichika's reaction and there was nothing for the longest time, only that wide-eyed stare and slow blinks.

When the haziness of truth faded from her visage, Ichika looked at the ground and Rukia's heart twinged painfully. "I knew it."

Letting out the breath she had been holding, Rukia tried to push back the trembling of her spine. Shirayuki flashed through her mind, those beautiful eyes soft and sorrowful, grieving for the loss they had both shouldered for these last short – but oh so fucking long – years. "You…..Knew from that single look?"

Shaking her head slowly, still reeling from the words Rukia had no doubt uttered, Ichika's quiet mumble was almost swallowed by the wind. "….No. I," There was a long, heavy pause before she continued. "I knew much longer than that, it's just – I _understood_ it then, ya know? Like before I played it off but then…..I couldn't any more."

Her heart ached, chest a cold chasm that left her numb and she sent a silent, grateful thank you to Shirayuki for helping her cope. Without the ethereal Moon zanpakuto, she wouldn't have been able to even say the words. "So you decided to confront me. You could have left it alone and I never would have told you. Why," Rukia looked at her hands, twisting them in front of her yukata. "Did you ask me about it at all?"

This time, Ichika flinched and Rukia's heart lodged in her throat in a painful knot. Fear erupted, prickling her skin as shame washed over in a hot torrent. "Oh God…..Orihime…..."

The stubborn set jaw, the narrowed hurt violet orbs, and the tight shoulders told Rukia everything before Ichika even opened her mouth. "She knows. How could anyone _not_ know, Mom? Every time you fucking look at each other it's like no one else exists, like _we_ ," Ichika gestured curtly at herself. "Don't exist."

Her mouth opened to deny it, to lie and say that wasn't true, to say _anything_ , but she froze, gaze fixed on Ichika. Red haired braid flapping in the wind, her black tattoo's darting in and out of view on her toned body and tanned skin. White, jagged scars peeked out from places her yukata revealed, Rukia remembering each and every one with the tight, coiled fear only a mother could know. Her daughter was small and thin – like her – but toned and strong. She was half a head taller than Rukia but in the Gardens standing beneath the moon, she looked smaller than Rukia had ever seen her.

Her arms were held tight over the middle of her stomach, her shoulders hunched up to her ears. Those violet eyes were gleaming with tears, cheeks splotchy from the tears that had already left their mark. This was the one thing she'd wanted to prevent and now, knowing that Orihime knew – they hadn't done anything wrong! There had been no kisses, no touches in the night….. As much as they had both wanted it! – Rukia wondered, absently, how she had managed to destroy two families in one single night. Then, an even worse thought came to mind of messy orange hair and bright brown eyes calling her Rukia-ba-chan and teasing her about how he was a human teenager and taller than her.

Her lips parted, breath wafting into the cold of the night, but Ichika shook her head roughly, red hair swaying. " _Everyone_ knows Mom. _Everyone_. Kazu….Fuck, I don't know how _he_ doesn't hate you….."

She swallowed past the relief at the thought that he didn't hate her – how could that kind boy _not_ hate her? – and instead her mind darted to the one thing in Ichika's words that pierced her fragile heart with more than she could take. She stumbled backwards, movements quick, to avoid showing Ichika the impact of her words. She was Kuchiki, Rukia and she would not fall apart in front of her daughter. She would be strong.

"…..Do _you_ hate me?"

That lip wobbled and Rukia's hands atop the stone bridge were the only things keeping her upright. "Sometimes. I wish I could, Mom. I wish it was as simple as hating you. Why –" Her voice broke and she cleared her throat. "Why did you marry Dad?"

It had been asked earlier and of course Rukia knew she loved Renji, the idiot…..But she also knew she didn't love him enough. Taking a deep breath, she told her daughter the truth. "Because he's my best friend. Moving on with him was easier than…." Her lashes fluttered closed as the memories of the day she found out about Ichigo's engagement to Orihime. "Easier than pretending I was okay, alone. I do love him, Ichi."

When her lids slowly opened, Ichika had her back to her. The girl was bent on her forearms on the stone bridge, looking out at the pond. "Dad told me once….." Ichika took a shuddering breath. "He told me that, sometimes, people are tied together by Fate, using a red string. He said you and Ichi-ji-ji were like that."

The tears came unbidden and Rukia felt her heart break for Renji all over again. What he must have suffered the last 20 years just for the chance to love her like he'd always wanted. But Ichika's quiet voice pressed on, muting the whispers in Rukia's mind to a dull throb. "He said you two were meant to be or somethin'. But sometimes, meant to be doesn't mean you end up together. Like, there could have been happy endin' but instead there just….."

Ichika shrugged loosely. "Wasn't. And that's…..Really sad. I wanted to hate you and sometimes, I did. I hated that my Mom looked at my Ichi-ji-ji in ways that made _my_ heart hurt. I hated how, when you two looked at each other, there was just….."

That red head tilted up to the starry sky and she chuckled softly. "No one else but you and him. I could…..I could see the red string, Mom. I could see it. And yeah, I tried to blame you but….I couldn't. Not when, all these years, you've been in so much _pain_.

"I was mad. For a while. I asked Dad why you two didn't just, I don't know, why you didn't – Why you couldn't be _happy_."

Glistening violets closed as her knees hit the hard, cold stone of the bridge. She covered her face, not wanting Ichika to see the despair and pain written over it but that beautiful, stubborn girl was more like her than she thought. She heard the rustling as Ichika moved and then she wrapped her arms around the trembling Rukia, comforting her in the way Rukia had always done for her. Hot tears slid from the corners of her eyes, a cold burn itching in her chest. It was a scratch she couldn't reach, something that would gnaw at her for the rest of her life.

Shame, pain, grief…..Emotions all fought for dominance in her gut and she felt the icy numbness of Shirayuki as the zanpakuto battled the emotional demons. Breathing out into the cold night, ice poured from her lips, her voice blank but sharp. "How could Ichigo dare sacrifice everyone else's chances at happiness? I love him, Ichika. But I couldn't ask him to do that. What was the point? Yhwach would have come back and won –"

"Stop!"

At the bitingly harsh word, Rukia stopped, her eyes fluttering open as if from a deep sleep. She blinked as her daughter's breath huffed against her ear, the small form with the tightly balled fists against her mother's back. "So you two just gave up, huh? At what cost did we win? Did we even _win_ , Mom? Because when you win, you're happy. And you ain't happy."

When Ichika pulled back, she tightened her arms and drew her mother's form up to stand with her own. She loosened her hold and Rukia met the conflicted, dark and swirling gaze of a red cheeked, sore-eyed Ichika. Her mouth was a hard, thin line as she grit out words that Rukia knew took a lot of strength to even say. "Happiness? What kind of self sacrificing bullshit – Don't give me that look, I can curse if I want to! What kind of bullshit is _that_?"

Sending her a reprimanding glare at the curse words, Rukia mulled everything over before she found the courage within herself to speak. "Happiness is the courage to do the right thing even when it hurts, even when you're afraid. Even when….." She looked into those eyes like her own, the reflection of her own pain etched into Ichika's. "Even when it means giving up on everything you've ever loved, ever believed in. It means saying goodbye and pushing through all the memories. Happiness is the courage to face fear and do what's right. Not just for you but all the people of Earth and Soul Society and Hueco Mundo."

Her voice faded out as quietly as it had come, resigned and tired, as she shrugged out of her daughter's hold. Moving back, she leaned against the cold stone, memories flying through her mind like the reel of a movie. A ghost of a once happy smile curled at her lips as she remembered all the times even she, herself, had found that happiness in the warm brown eyes of Kurosaki, Ichigo. But their happiness would have destroyed it all. She fought the cold ache in her throat and the shiver that tickled her spine as she uttered, "Yhwach promised to come for us at our happiest, to destroy every future where we could _be_ happy. We're fighting him, Ichika. This is the form of our courage. Do not speak so lightly of it, as if it was easy to do."

Her daughter was still, the only signs of life being the war of emotions that played out in her eyes, the vapor of breath that wafted into the cold night air, and the blinks of her long, thick lashes over her expressively violet pools. When Abarai, Ichika was cornered, she became a horse: wild and untamed. That was exactly what happened when she snapped, shouting out words that left a brazen trail over Rukia's skin.

Ichika's words dug into her heart with sharp claws that made Shirayuki laugh. "For someone who made Captain, you sure are stupid, Mom."

Before she could get riled up, Ichika – stampeding against her in a torrent of emotions the girl was way too young to feel – raised her voice, pointing a trembling finger at Rukia. Her eyes narrowed and her cheeks flamed with anger as she spouted off like an erupting volcano, "You think courage is _running away_? You think _happiness_ is dropping everything and hoping this Yhwa-bastard _won't_ just pop up anyway?"

Her voice had risen to a high pitch, voice breaking as the angry teen began to pace back and forth, her bare feet slapping against the stone and her yukata swishing in the air. "If that's what courage is then I don't want anythin' to do with it! So, let me get this straight –"

The girl paused in front of her mother, reiterating what Rukia had told her in pure Ichika fashion. A warmth burst in Rukia's chest as the chains of the last 20 years rattled, cracking and screaming. "Ya'll gave up your happiness to be courageous and fight this Yhwakaki dude to protect the happiness of your future where you aren't happy because if you aren't happy, he can't destroy you? Doing what's right means giving up and running away from everything you stood for? It means…."

Voice dropping, she lowered her eyes to the stone of the bridge, wrapping one arm around the middle of her stomach to clutch at her other arm. "Settling for a future where hope and love are dead? That's not doing what's right…..That's doing what's _easy_."

Rukia jolted, eyes widening, as the chains of the past 20 years that had held her down – all the tears she had wept, the confusion of why it had ended like this, all the pain and heart ache, all the longing – shattered into fragments of icy shards. Each shard played a memory that she had locked away out of fear – when had her courage become fear? – as her gaze stayed on Ichika. When had her daughter grown so much? Maybe 10 years was longer than she thought. The hard, tight knot in her throat dissolved into her chest as she met those replica's of her own.

The stare that met her own was almost unrecognizable. It was the look of a woman and not a girl, a woman who knew pain and heartache, who chose to fight. Her violet irises glowed a purple-blue in the light of the moon, strong and confident despite the pain that still tainted the edge of her gaze. Her head was held high, jaw grit tight. Arms crossed over her chest and legs spread, she looked every ounce the Captain Rukia should have been. When had her child become this shinigami that stood before her? When had _she_ fallen so low?

A smile quirked at her lips. "Are you prompting me to commit adultery with a married man?"

A grin spread, warm and haughty, as the girl rolled her eyes. "Nope! I'm tellin' ya to go get laid," At Rukia's dark flush and gaping jaw, Ichika continued with laughter hanging off her voice. "And go be happy."

Cheeks dusted pink and grin still curling at her lips, Rukia shook her head. "If only it were that simple, Ichi."

The girl leaned back against the stone bridge on her hands, red haired braid flying in the breeze that rustled by. Her smile held a secret and Rukia's heart flipped at the sudden look in her daughter's eyes. She took a hesitant step forward and put her hands on her hips, narrowing her eyes. Motherly intimidation usually worked but when Ichika's grin only widened, Rukia sighed and rolled her eyes up to the starry sky. "Why are you acting like this is okay?"

"Because none of us can stand seeing ya like this any more. Plus, if I gotta admit defeat, at least it's to someone worthy of ya."

Her heart dropped into her stomach at the deep voice that resonated from her right, ringing in her ears. Her chest tightened at the implications that, oh Gods, he knew and how much did he hear – Before her freak out could fully develop, he was there. Arms crossed over his chest, his blood red yukata too small to really hide his body underneath, her husband stood before her. Those light brown eyes gazed right at her, dejected and wearily resigned yet holding a hint of soft warmth that made her eyes sting with tears.

He looked at her, those soft defeated eyes roaming her body like it was the last time he would ever see her, before he met her own again. Standing on the stone bridge, a cold wind rustling between them, Rukia – not for the first time and something she would later regret and weep about deep in the night – wished she hadn't stumbled into Kurosaki, Ichigo's life and ruined them both. Red strings, Fate, love, eternal bonds…...She had spent the last 20 years denying it because she couldn't believe it. Her smile faded, violet-blue falling to the gray stone at her bare feet. Blinking when zeta clad feet stepped into view, she wasn't surprised to feel Renji tuck a stray strand of her flyaway hair behind her ear.

Hesitantly, he raised both hands and let them fall atop her small shoulders. His deep, gruff voice was thick with emotion and Rukia tightened her jaw to keep from giving in to the small cry lodged in her throat at his words. "I'm not gonna let ya give up now. No more taking the easy road."

She winced, remembering Ichika's words as the realization set in of how long Renji must have been there and what he had heard, but he squeezed her shoulders, jostling her a moment. "Rukia…..Tell her, Ichika. Tell her what happened."

A small, crawling sense of panic erupted in her stomach. Hesitantly, she raised her gaze to her daughter, Renji stepping off to her right. Ichika looked into the gaze that met her own with a surety that left Rukia breathless, the hairs on the back of her neck rising. "That day you took me to meet Ichi-ji-ji for the first time, he was there. Yhwa-whats-his-name. He was _there_. Kazu blew him away but do ya wanna know when he appeared? Do ya wanna know what brought him to this future?"

She didn't, she didn't want to hear those words. Something told her if she heard them, she wouldn't be able to go back to lying and pretending any more but she didn't get the chance before, with a sharp cold glint in her eyes, Ichika delivered the final blow. "Because even when ya two give up, even when ya marry someone else…..You're still happiest when you're with'im. Your happiness is always gonna be there, Mom. The happiest moment, the happiest future?"

Renji laid a stabilizing hand against her lower back as her eyes widened, heart pounding when Ichika stepped forward. The grin she had melted into a strong, bright smile as she softly uttered, "There'll always be one. You and Ichigo, Mom. _You_ , both of you, create your happiness every time you're together. Both of ya are the happiest moment, of every future."

The world spun around her, her daughter's words severing all the lies and pretences, all the masks she'd worn dissolving at her feet. The world tilted for a dizzying moment before everything around her halted into a sudden, nauseating clarity. Stars still dotted the sky but their lights were brighter, twinkling with a fierceness that nearly blinded her. Insects, the whistling of the wind, the frog in the pond, Renji and Ichika's breathing all came into focus. The silvery light of the moon lightened the dark gray of the stone bridge and Rukia had the sudden thought that maybe she should breathe at one point.

A large, broad and rough hand gripped her own and her violet gaze snapped to his. The bittersweet smile made her chest tighten as cold chills slithered down her arms. The cold, icy chain of her silver wedding band – oh, Gods, when had that become a _chain_ …. – twisted as Renji's long fingers gently grasped hold of it. His eyes never left hers as he slowly pulled it down her ring finger, the band leaving an icy throb behind. He pulled it free and suddenly, Rukia could breathe again. Lungfuls of cold air flooded her lungs, easing the tightness of her chest.

Heat blossomed in her gut and spread through her blood like a wildfire as Renji stepped away. The silver band was thrown into the air, the moon's light glinting off it, before he caught it in a fisted grasp. Looking over at Rukia as he headed away from the bridge, he lifted a hand in a wave and hollered back, "Tell that idiot I'm leaving you in his hands!"

"Wait, Renji – !"

A hand shot out, grabbing her arm in a tight grip. Frantic, dark violet eyes landed on Ichika who was watching her father go with acceptance and Rukia tried to twist her arm out of the small teen's hold. Her grip held firm until both of them could no longer see the deep red of Renji's yukata or the red of his hair that hung over his shoulders and down his back swaying in the wind. Furious tears welled in her orbs and she spun to face Ichika, the smaller girl's hand falling away to her side.

Before she could unleash her anger, the soft quiet mumble halted all the words jumbled on the tip of her tongue. "This isn't easy for him. You'll only make it worse. He – He needs to be alone, Mom."

"No, Ichika! I have to go to him, I have to –"

Panic rushed through her blood, heart battering into her ribs as she vied for air. Arms held wide, white yukata glowing in the silvery light, the smallest Abarai stood at the borderline of the bridge. Lean arms were spread wide, legs apart as she stared Rukia down with those violet depths. Her hands were fisted as she shouted, "And do what? Break his heart more? Mom, he chose this, for _you_!"

"But….." Tears swelled hotly in her eyes, flicking her gaze back and forth at Ichika's hindering form and where Renji had strolled back to the Manor. Cold, dense air chilled her body to the ground, frozen in place and breathing heavily as she watched Ichika. "I…."

Approaching cautiously, Ichika headed towards Rukia's still form, staring blankly towards the open shoji door in the distance where red hair had disappeared. Small, delicate hands fell atop thin shoulders as she looked softly into her mother's eyes. "Mom….."

Voice breaking, she pulled her mother gently into a hug. "Mom, wait here. I'll be back, I promise." She pulled away and forced those empty, lost violet orbs as dark as the sky to stare into her own convicted pair. "I'll make you happy, okay?"

Before she left she placed a soft, tender kiss on her mother's cool skin, lingering for only a moment before she pulled back. Tearful dark blue orbs greeted her, icy and numb, and Ichika felt her own eyes glisten with tears.

"Goodbye, Kaa-chan."

It took everything she had to turn around and leave her mother standing on that bridge, her heart breaking. Eyes squeezed shut, she clenched her fists and vowed that if Kaa-chan wasn't going to fight for her own happiness, then Ichika would do it for her.

Behind the open shoji, Renji fell to his knees and slammed a tight, white-knuckled fist into the tatami mats below him. Gritting his teeth, he squeezed his eyes shut and fought back the pain in his chest building behind his eyes.

"Damn….." He opened the fist slammed into the floor to reveal the silver wedding band spotted with blood, huffing with a sad little grin. "Why do I always lose you, Rukia…..."


	2. Kazui's Resolve

Blink. Blink. Blink.

A small, red dot blinked repeatedly in the sky – a helicopter or a plane's lights – amidst the sparkling white of the stars and the crescent moon held aloft by night's fingers. It was cold for an Autumn night, frost settling in an icy, white dust across the grass of the Kurosaki family lawn. The bench set against the modern home's siding was wooden, the cold seeping through his long pants. His rear was cold and wet, soaked through to the black boxers underneath and Ichigo wiggled to try and escape the cold.

The white light of the moon danced across the grass, making the icy dust of frost sparkle. The 47 year old man groaned as his back creaked, reaching around to rub at the soreness in his muscles. His dark brown gaze lifted to the moon and he huffed, smiling slightly. "I'm an old man now. By the time you come back, I'll already be dead."

The moon, his only companion and witness, stayed silent. A cold breeze blew by, whistling over the empty lawn, and Ichigo crossed his arms over his bare chest. Hands moved zealously against his arms to rub warmth into the cold limbs, his gaze wandering the empty street of Karakura Town. The Town was sleeping, quiet and dead, at night and in the early morning hours. It was his favourite time to sit outside, taking the time he had never given himself as a young teenage boy – he refused to call himself a substitute shinigami or a shinigami at all in fear the memories would come to his mind again – saving the world from destruction, over and over again.

Each time, they had won. Good had prevailed, the safety of all the worlds secured, his friends happy and his family safe, and each time, there had never been a moment he had ever doubted in their chance to win. Yhwach, however, had changed everything Ichigo knew about being a hero, about Fate and the future. They had never saved the world instead only thrusting it deeper and deeper towards Yhwach's clutches. Everything they had done had been to that bastard's wants. The future, Fate, it all meant nothing to him and to a hero meant to save the world, it was a hard thing to stomach but still, Ichigo had run in, sword blazing and ready to strike.

He may have destroyed Yhwach's body, they may have won, but to Ichigo? His gaze softened as he stared at the white of the moon, leaning back into the wooden bench. To him there had never been any way to win. The manipulator of time and space knew every future, every path they could take, and even though he had been blind-sided by a simple arrow, Ichigo had known deep in his gut that Yhwach would return. All the poisonous words whispered by that bastard's tongue had sunk into his blood, echoing through his heart. Even Fate couldn't escape Yhwach's claws and though he would never admit it, it had frightened him.

There had been no future Yhwach couldn't see. And though that man hadn't mentioned what or who or how – striking him at his happiest was a pretty damn good threat on it's own – Ichigo had known what the bastard meant the moment the words had registered in his battle clogged ears. The way that stare had narrowed into his soul, that knowing, confident smirk as he threatened to destroy Ichigo's _happiness_ …..He had seen it. He had seen the future, his future, through the eyes of that demon and he had felt defeat for the first time.

That battle had been lost long before it had even begun. Sure, Yhwach had been 'defeated' – the shinigami knew that that man would never, could never, truly die as long as fear existed – but so had they. Heavy losses, extreme casualties, missing friends…..The very thing Ichigo had fought against had lodged in his chest then: fear. Pure, panicked fear that Yhwach would return when he was happy and destroy him.

Crickets chirped in the far off distance, the wind settling down, and Ichigo blinked back from his thoughts at the soft steps from inside the house. Keeping his ear focused, at first he thought it was Orihime but chuckled, dismissing the thought when he heard an unmanly yelp followed by the soft thud of a body hitting the ground. Kurosaki, Kazui made one hell of a clumsy teenage boy. Hearing his son mutter beneath his breath, the footsteps fading into the kitchen of the Kurosaki home, Ichigo turned back to his moon gazing.

He smiled up at the shining moon, pretending his chest wasn't tight and his stomach wasn't clenching. His son. His wife. His _family_. When he was 17 – he would give up anything to go back and be 17 again – he remembered the happiest days of his life. It wasn't school – though he did like it regardless of his reputation; it wasn't his friends – though he did love sometimes hate them; it wasn't his annoying Dad and too caring sisters – though he would die for them…..

His happiest was getting lost in violet-blue orbs, in the way her voice reached deep into a part of him even when they were nose to nose and screaming at each other. His happiest was when Rukia was next to him. At the end of that war, after Yhwach's defeat, there had been nothing he had wanted more than to find her, wrap in his arms, and hold her so he could fight the dread growing inside him. In fact, he went in search of her. He found her amongst the casualties – of course because she couldn't fucking sit back – and he had stabbed Zangetsu into the ground, determined to shunpo down there and kiss her fucking senseless.

Until Yhwach's nasty, assuring sneer and dark, knowing eyes flashed into his mind. For the second time in his life, his world had come crashing down around him. Stumbling back, the shinigami's brown eyes had widened, heart careening in his ribcage to burst out and fly down to the violet eyed woman at the bottom of the hill. Nausea welled in his throat, thick and bitter, his gut clenching against the roiling waves of sickness. Almost, it felt like a dream and some horrible twisted version of reality.

His eyes had stayed on her as truth, sadly, dawned on him. And he had grabbed the hilt of his zanpakuto, turned around, and didn't look back. That was the last time he saw her until it was time to say it once again, that word that haunted them every time they turned around. They were always saying goodbye. Somehow, parting was all they knew how to do. The Senkaimon glowed a bright white behind him, his friends stepping through one by one, muttering quick goodbyes to hide their pain. He could feel the warmth at his back, the light licking at him and beckoning him to cross over back to the world of the living.

He stared at a violet moon, lips grinning despite the screaming of his soul. And again, he had turned his back. Stalking towards the gate, he set his hands on either side, prepared to dive into the white light that called his name but he paused. It was always like this, them always saying goodbye and parting. Somehow, though, he had always known they would meet again, their Fate intertwined, but instead of the usual anticipation of knowing he would see her again, all he felt was a hard ball of apprehension that this goodbye was _final_.

His gut told him this was the last time and, in his hesitation, he looked back at her. She was staring at him and their eyes met – somehow, they always just knew each other in ways no one else could ever know, not even the wife he would marry – in a horrible moment of clarity. She knew. She knew that this was the last time, she could feel it too, and he could see the pain written in her eyes like it had been carved there. He forced a grin and tumbled through the gate. He didn't look back and he vowed, feet touching Karakura Town, no more. There was no more looking back. He had chosen this path and it was time to face the future.

And he had done just that. Not once looking back, Kurosaki Ichigo had moved forward into the future. The rain had finally stopped. With Rukia, it never rained. Without her, it poured. Now it had stopped completely. A sharp pang rang through his heart and he winced, swallowing thickly. That wasn't right. The rain wasn't the only thing that had stopped. There was one time, for one single measly moment of 17 months – Gods, give him back those 17 months instead of these last 20 years – that he hadn't been able to keep up with the world without her.

He had moved on, moved forward, gotten married to Orihime, had a son, he was a doctor now…...But that day, that look, was the moment the gates of Fate had slid closed, Ichigo's entire fucking world crawled to a stop. It couldn't rain in a world that didn't move, his soul forever frozen on that single god damn moment of violet eyes. He loved his family, that's just who he was, and he couldn't regret the future he'd chosen. He would do it all over again, every single moment of his life since he was a stupid, oblivious teen boy, up to now if it meant he could only get a glimpse of the woman that _was_ his happiness. She changed his world, his life, and she stopped the rain.

She reminded him of what it meant to be happy, she gave him the power to protect the people he had loved, and at the end, leaning on the bench with his family mostly sleeping inside, all he could think about – all he could _ever_ think about – was her. Dying for her wasn't even an option. At one point, it was all he had been prepared to do. If she needed him, he would be there. To him, loving her was simple as living or breathing; it was a mechanism of his body needed for survival. The Moon was necessary to the Sun so was Rukia to Ichigo. And if you asked him when he would only be able to say this: since the moment she stepped into my room, sure and steady, the moonlight falling on her small form.

Fate was, Ichigo decided bitterly, cruel. Bringing them together only to tear them apart in the end, creating no future where they could ever know what happiness truly was. Sighing, he placed his hands on the bench and prepared to rise when a voice spoke from the open doorway.

"Wait! Dad, can I…...Can I talk to you?"

Turning his head, he saw Kazui standing in the doorway with a cup of what he assumed to be tea in his hands. Kazui stood beside the bench in front of the house, taking a small sip of the jasmine and lavender tea as Ichigo patted the bench with his free hand. "I don't bite."

His shake of denial ruffled the spiky, messy orange hair that tumbled over his light brown eyes, head tilted back and cocked to the side as he stared up at the moon. His eyes were large and expressive, mouth in a small thin smile. "I want to stand."

Shrugging a large shoulder, Ichigo settled back against the bench. His one arm rested on the back of his seat, his gaze flitting up again to the shining moon unable to look away. The crickets chirped in synchrony and a quick burst of cold wind battered against his bare chest, causing a chill to travel through his chest. Shaking his head at the cold, he tilted his head back and looked up at his son standing in the doorway to the Kurosaki home. The orange hair just like his own and those brown eyes were where all the similarities ended between father and son.

Where Ichigo was loud and brash – even at his age he remained unchanged despite the way his world had halted – Kazui was quiet, almost shy in a sense. He didn't have a lot to say, he was clumsy like his mother, but Kazui had something that Ichigo didn't have. The orange haired teen always, ever since he was born, spoke his mind. There was nothing the young boy didn't say that he didn't mean. So when Ichigo saw the tenseness in his son's shoulder as he leaned against the open doorway, the way he held the steaming cup to his lips without taking a drink, and the way he seemed to almost disappear into the shadows of the house behind him, brown eyes narrowed.

Tapping his fingers against the wood of the bench, Ichigo drawled, "For someone who wanted to talk, you're sure putting it off."

Wincing, Kazui lowered the cup and stared into the light coloured tea, biting his lip. "It's just not easy to say."

"Well, dancing around it isn't going to say it either. If you don't speak up, I'm going to bed." He made to rose up, tempting Kazui into speaking his mind.

Of course he wouldn't have really left the boy standing in the doorway behaving unusually but Kazui didn't know that. Those eyes widened comically before he shouted, voice wobbling in panic, "Y-You don't love Mom!"

Not sure if it was the words or the fact that quiet Kazui had shouted at him but Ichigo nearly toppled off the bench and to the cold ground, stopping himself and leaning slowly back into the solid wood behind him. He blinked, rapidly and quickly, but the words remained lodged in his mind like arrows fired into the bark of a tree. His mouth parted, words bouncing around in his mouth, before he closed his lips. A moment later, his mouth opened again as Ichigo struggled to find the lies he had been spewing for the last 20 years but found he couldn't say them any more. All the lies, the false comforts, all of the things he had convinced himself were true and right had dissipated, grasped and stolen by the cold night wind of Autumn.

Maybe, he fancied almost numbly, the wind would carry them to the moon and he could be _free_. "What…..The fuck did you just say?"

A deep breath followed by the rustling of a nervous Kazui did nothing to ease Ichigo's nerves. The next words out of his son's mouth tightened the coil in his heart, a cold metal snake spraying acid as it hissed inside of him. For a single moment, in a world frozen in time, he thought he saw golden eyes snap open and a wide smirk before it faded into Kazui's voice. "You…..Don't love Mom. You're lying. To you and – and to us."

An audible gulp and then the quiet sloshing of the tea as Kazui took a drink from the lip of his cup. His fingers picked up their drumming, impatience flaring up in his gut. You know those moments where you think you're prepared for whatever your child can say? And then they say the _one thing_ you did not expect or prepare and you're left staring at them gaping like a fish? This was one of those moments.

A sharp inhale and then, horribly, Ichigo understood and he wished he hadn't. "B-Because you love Rukia-ba-chan."

His heart was suddenly too heavy, the air was too cold, everything was not the way it should be. He should love his family and he did – he just didn't love them _enough_. Swallowing past the tight knot in his throat was proving difficult so he coughed into a fist and looked at the frosted grass at his feet. It felt like his heart had stopped, face paling, and Ichigo thought back, trying to remember anytime he had ever given any hints to the feelings he had buried for the last 25 years. She was forbidden from him, they could never touch, never meant to be like the Sun and the Moon that always rose and set at opposite corners of the world. His fingers would always itch to touch her own but he would never reach her.

He glanced up discreetly at Kazui's form in the moonlit shadowy doorway. He stared at his son who adored the woman he loved and his gaze softened, eyes closing as he leaned his arms over his legs. "Course I love the midget. She's my best friend."

From out the corner of his eyes, he saw something change in his son. The quiet, huddled boy who had never wanted to stand out transformed and Ichigo's heart sunk in his chest as he wondered just how long Kurosaki, Kazui had become a man. The form that stood in the doorway straightened, spine pulled upright and shoulders back like the confident teen Ichigo used to be, large zanpakuto hanging over his shoulder. Those warm, shy brown eyes were glinting in the light of moon, strong and self-assured and so different from the little boy in his memories that Ichigo was left awed. Body sinking into the wood of the bench and away from the shadow of the man his son had become, Ichigo was left reeling when those eyes met his.

In a strong, quiet voice, Kazui, tea cup clutched in his hands, thrust the truth hilt-deep into Ichigo's heart with his eyes alone. "I love her. Ichi loves her. Hell, _Mom_ loves her!"

Shaking his head, that orange hair swaying, Kazui met his Dad's eyes again and this time, he left no room for denial. "But you _love_ her, Dad. For once," The hurt that lined the edges of Kazui's brown gaze was enough to cause Ichigo's heart to stutter. "For once, please, can you not lie to us? To me?"

The thick, hot knot in his throat swelled into his lungs and he released a shaky breath, the cold wind strikingly soothing against his now heated body. The truth swirled heavily in the air between them, hanging and twisting between father and son. Hurt and pain flared in Kazui's reiatsu but that wasn't what made Ichigo feel the hot spurt of shame. It was the numbing acceptance – his own son had accepted this, not even bothering to deny it like a normal teenage boy that had just found out his Dad didn't love his Mom – that made Ichigo finally rise to his feet.

The bone chilling cold numbed his bare feet, his chest tightening at the fear and hot shame that swelled up inside of him. The moon shone down, casting it's light over the forms of the two left in the aftermath of truth. What do you say to your kid that told you they know you don't love their Mom, that you love the woman you're not allowed – that you _won't_ allow yourself – to have? How do you tell your son that it's too late, that happily ever after's, Fate, and love…..How do you tell him it's all a lie?

The last of the words ringing in his ears, Ichigo's shoulders dropped, hands digging deep into the pockets of his sleep pants to hide the tightly curled fists. His back to his son – how could he face him after this? – Ichigo admitted the truth he had buried for 20 years. "You want the truth, Kazui? Fine. You're right. 'Bout all of that shit. Except for one thing."

He could feel Kazui's reiatsu lap curiously against his own and he smiled though it didn't reach his eyes – it hadn't ever reached his eyes since the day he lost her – and his fists only tightened. "I _do_ love your Mom. And you. You're my family. I love you both."

Closing his gaze to the frosty grass, Ichigo mumbled the words he hadn't dared to say since that final goodbye, words he should have said. "But fuck, do I love Rukia. I never thought I'd end up here, you know? I thought it had always been me and her, fated or some shit like that, but sometimes, Kazui," Tilting his head back, the moon's cold, bright light fell over his face. "Sometimes love just isn't enough."

Heart aching, Ichigo hoped Kazui understood. He didn't think he had it in him to talk about the forbidden thoughts lodged in his chest. There was no answer and no response for so long, he wondered if the boy had wandered to bed but just when he was about to open his eyes, that strong, quiet voice was back, speaking from behind him.

Kazui stole the breath from Ichigo's lungs, riling up that stubborn, angry shinigami he used to be. "Love is _always_ enough. You just chose to be a coward for the first time in your life at the wrong moment. You could have fought, Dad. You always had that choice. You could have fought for her. And _you_ are the one who chose not to."

Whirling around, Ichigo's eyes snapped open. Harsh, angry brown orbs glared at his son. Irritation and fury bubbled up in his stomach like fire and Ichigo hurled the words out of his mouth without thought. "What the fuck do you know? Coward? _I'm_ the coward? What kind of life could I have given Rukia? She's a fucking shinigami and I'm still human! I had to protect her! I will _always_ protect that fucking woman until my last breath. I have always fought for her…..Everything I do is for her! Kuchiki, Rukia is the whole fucking reason I exist! So don't you _dare_ tell me, you damn brat, that love is enough because sometimes, Kazui, it _just fucking isn't!_ "

His breaths fell in pants into the cold air, chest heaving, as he glared at his son and ignored the pulsing warmth in his eyes. He'd pulled his fists from his pants to gesture during his shouting and they now hung loosely by his sides, mouth in a deep frown that resembled a snarl. His chest was hot and heavy with pain which melted into a flash of anger at the way Kazui's lips curled into a smile.

He took a sip of his tea, gaze steady on the panting, shaking man before him. He couldn't help the smile despite the ache in his heart. "It is always enough. Instead of trying, instead of trusting that your happiness was enough, you have ruined more lives."

It was like watching a rubber band snap under too much pressure. The teen boy's hand trembled and then, he snapped. He threw the tea cup at his father's feet with enough force that it shattered, sloshing warm tea onto the frost covered ground. His face screwed up in hurt and pain as he shouted at the one person all the words he had bottled up for 20 years.

"You ruined Mom's happiness! What do you think she sees when she sees you lost in thought, the way your eyes travel up to the sky? Huh? What is she supposed to think? She _knows_ you think of her and she chooses to ignore it, just the way you chose not to fight for your future, your own happiness! You chose to run, you coward!" Kazui's gaze was burning when he looked up and Ichigo inhaled sharply at the tears brimming his son's eyes.

Kazui slammed his eyes shut and shouted with everything he had, trying to reach his Dad before it was too late for any of them. "When she's here, she's all you can see! You look at her like she's the reason you breathe….Like you can't exist without her and – and it hurts! But…..But I also feel happy and I hate that I can't hate you both because you….All I can see is pain. And I don't want you to be in pain. I'm tired of everyone giving up! For once, Dad, _fight_!"

Meeting his son's heated, painful and narrowed stare head-on, Ichigo felt his heart fall to his feet and into the shards that lay scattered in the ground. "Fight for her the way I would fight for Ichika! Love her the way Mom deserves to be loved and just let us all move on to the future we deserve instead of the one you decided was best! Let us find our own happiness!"

A half grin quirked at Ichigo's lips. "You'd fight for Ichika, huh?"

A full fledged grin broke out when Kazui's mouth hung open, unhinged, his cheeks darkening to a purple red. He floundered for words, nervous and panic settling in, before Ichigo held a large palm. "Hey, whoa, that's good."

His grin softened as he nodded. "That's real good, Kazui. You got someone to protect. And I can't think of anyone better than Ichika."

Blushing, he dug a bare foot into the grass at his feet, rubbing one arm with his hand. "Yeah, she's…..She's great. Dad, I know this isn't," Kazui shrugged with one shoulder, hesitantly and shyly meeting his Dad's eyes from beneath ruffled orange locks of hair. "Isn't easy but…..It is never too late. Because as long as you're afraid of him, of the futures he's predicted, you'll never be happy. Me and Ichika? We don't know that fear. All we know is –"

" –That we love each other. And that's enough for us. Why can't it be enough for you?" The haughty voice drew Ichigo's gaze away from his son – whose head had snapped up to search for that familiar tone – to the form sitting on a wooden fence attached to their home.

Her legs were crossed, black hakama loose against her small body and reminding Ichigo too much of the fragility that shortness belied. Her haori was from fitting, hands holding her upright on the fence, head tilted to one shoulder. The moon lit up her spiky red hair as if it was fire, the cold wind blowing the single braid up and into the air. It was Ichika's violet stare – so much like Rukia's that his heart fallen to his feet still found the ability to pound – that had captivated him when he had first met her those 20 years ago. Now she was a teenager and, eyeing the lieutenant badge on her upper arm with a sense of pride, a strong shinigami like her parents.

His countenance softened as he lifted a hand in a loose wave. "Yo, Ichika."

He threw that hand into a thumb that he jerked towards his frozen, motionless son. "You sure he's enough for you? He tripped over his own feet getting some tea earlier."

Spluttering, the red faced teen tried to explain but gave up half way through his mutterings, hiding his face in his hands. Ichika grinned, giggling softly, before she jumped to the ground and made her way towards the embarrassed teen. Ichigo watched her approach his son and maybe it was the moon light that illuminated what he had never seen before or maybe – now that he had stopped lying to himself – it was because the truth was finally out there but he saw the gentle way those thin fingers curled into the lean digits of his own child, the way her smirk faded into a soft grin, he saw, finally with eyes wide open, the way Kazui's brown pools fell on Ichika like she was the only reason for his existence.

And then he understood.

Before he could mention the previous conversation, Ichika spun on her heels, startling him, and faced with him with a determined look in those violet orbs. Her hands on her hips, chin held high, she looked every ounce the Kuchiki heir she was. She looked between Ichigo and Kazui, nodding her head towards him and Kazui, defeated, sighed as his shoulders slumped forwards. Stepping out towards the silent Ichigo, his son huddled closer, Ichika to his side and giving him a look Ichigo couldn't decipher before flicking her gaze to him.

It was confusing and a bit unnerving until, at last, the gates opened. Looking down into the depths of Kazui's gaze, the words tumbled out of the teenage boy's mouth without any hesitation. He'd found the words he needed and damn, did they fucking hurt.

"Rukia-ba-chan – She means more to you than she could ever mean to us. I've seen…..The way you look at her. When she's not looking at you. You never – You never look at Mom that way and at first, I thought it was okay."

The words kept coming and Ichigo simply stood still, trying not to sink into the dark chasm of his stomach, nausea clawing at his throat. "I thought it was normal and okay and we were a happy family. But we're not happy. We pretend to be! But we're not. Mom knows. I know. Mom…." Kazui looked away finally, the corners of his eyes glistening with tears that hung off his lashes. He sniffled and Ichigo's heart sunk further.

Ichika took hold of his hand, the two sharing a look that made Ichigo's heart flutter and his cheeks dust pink, before Kazui found the strength to continue. "She tries to pretend like she's okay but…..Her heart knows and it's killing her. She wants to pretend to be happy and that we're a happy family and it's all okay…..But it's _not_. You look at ba-chan and," A soft smile curled at Kazui's lips. "And that's when you're happy, Dad. You become brighter than the Sun when you're near her. I never knew what happiness was, thought we had it –" Kazui shrugged and turned back to his Dad, those brown eyes glistening and pleading. "But I had no clue what it was until I saw you look at her.

"The whole world disappears. There's nothing but you and her and this -" He gestured vaguely with his free hand before huffing and shrugging helplessly. "Bubble. That the rest of us can't pierce. We've been pretending to be happy for long enough now, Dad. It's time to stop pretending now."

A hot warmth burst behind Ichigo's eyes and he huffed before laying a large hand on those soft orange strands of hair, ruffling them before putting one hand on Kazui's shoulder and the other on Ichika's. He grinned at them both, bending down slightly so they could meet his glistening brown eyes. "What do you want me to say, you two?"

They shared a look and then Kazui's next words sent an icy chill down Ichigo's spine. It wasn't a question. It was statement said with pure conviction, the strength of a little boy that knew his father loved another. "You love Rukia."

His head fell forward and he sealed his Fate with the cracked, hoarse word that fell from his lips. "Yes."

The quiet, hitched gasp and the disbelief lacing the word that had tumbled into the night, "No….." caused all three heads to snap back towards the house. There, standing in the doorway in a white bathrobe, was Orihime and Ichigo swore, as long as he lived, he would never forget the look in her gray-brown eyes. He nearly drowned in the painful sorrow dug into them, her eyes glassy from sleep and the tears that clung to the corners of her eyes. A small hand was raised to her parted mouth, probably to keep from crying.

The other was clutched hard into the white fabric of the bathrobe that was draped around her body. One foot was on the lip of the doorway, as if she had been about to step forward, and the other was hidden in the shadows of the house. The hand that held her bathrobe began to shake and Ichigo straightened, taking a step forward. "Orihime….."

An arm thrust across his path and he looked down at the orange head of his son, his arm blocking him from moving forward. The boy couldn't look up at his mother, gaze trained to his feet, the hand holding Ichika's crushing. Rukia's daughter – of course it would be the midget's daughter – stepped forward and asked what the other two Kurosaki men desperately wanted to know. "What all did you hear?"

Gaze narrowing onto Ichika, her hand over her mouth fell atop the other to keep her wits about her. "All of it."

Her gaze flickered to Kazui who kept avoiding her but even Ichigo could feel the way her stare bore down on their son. "You don't…..Tell me you don't believe that, Kazui?"

When he didn't answer, it came all too soon that her eyes met Ichigo's and he winced at the pain in her eyes. "Ichigo? You don't…..You can't….."

Taking a deep breath and picking up his heart off the ground, Ichigo gave one single nod and shattered the woman he had married. He felt more than he saw Ichika pull Kazui away just as Orihime barrelled into Ichigo, banging her fists onto his chest and screaming at him. He let her, keeping his hands fisted at his sides and ignoring the pounding of her balled hands into his bruised heart. It was her words he couldn't escape and he closed his eyes at her broken voice, her breathy sobs, and the trembling of her body.

"How could you Ichigo!? We're a family, a family! You're supposed to love us, protect us…..How can you still love her!? Why, why am I not good enough for you!? Why is it always Rukia!?" She let out a loud, wailing sob and her fists beat against the bare skin of his chest quicker, her punches losing momentum as her sobs shook her frame. "Why can't you look at me like you look at _her_? I love you Ichigo…..SO WHY CAN'T YOU LOVE ME TOO!?"

Her last scream ended on a broken sob as she fell to her knees. Long, thick orange hair cascaded over her body, shielding her from the world as her hands rose to her face. Her body curled inwards, shaking and trembling, as she cried into the cold night. The moon looked on sadly, casting it's silver light over the broken woman curled up at his feet.

He closed his eyes, fists digging into the palm of his hands, and finally, Ichigo set her free. "I do love you, Orihime. You've…..You've picked up the pieces. But," He swallowed past the painful lump in his throat at the words that needed to be said. "I still love her. I will _always_ love her. I didn't – I didn't mean to lie to you. I wanted to make us all happy, save all of us, but…." He glanced over at the two teens standing by the fence, their gazes grieving for the woman whose heart he was about to break. "I still love her."

He wanted to do something, anything, to heal her but there was no way to heal her after he had broken her. As the self-hatred swirled inside of him, Kazui bent and pulled his mother into his arms. Throwing her arms around her son, she sobbed heavily, gasping into his shoulder for air. He rubbed his hands up and down her back, whispering calming nothings into her ear as he held her. A small hand nudged apart one of his fists and curled thin fingers around his hand. He gripped Ichika like she was his only anchor that this was right.

He managed to speak through the pain in his throat, his heart heavy. "No matter how much I love her, it's already too late."

The proof stood next to him. He opened his wet eyes and looked down at the top of her red hair but instead of meeting red hair, he met her violet orbs. The smile playing at her lips and the glint in those eyes had his heart jumping in his chest, stomach flopping around like a fish. "What –"

Her gaze fell on Orihime and Kazui, the teen still trying to rationally calm his mother down, her smile turning upwards into a smirk that would have made Renji proud. "It's never too late for love, Ichigo. You only have to decide that it's worth it to fight for it. The rest will happen on it's own. Plus," She shrugged. "It helps you two have the greatest children ever born to help settle your stupid mistakes."

He laughed, then, unable to stop the gut clenching laughter. Looking down at her, he raised an eyebrow, squeezing her hand. "Listen you little brat, curb that fucking arrogance and that big head of yours. We don't need another Renji running around."

It was Ichika's turn to laugh and she did, grinning up at him and sending him a quick wink. "Nah, I'm the best."

Her gaze flickered to Orihime, the distraught woman's teary sobs having lessened, who was quietly speaking to Kazui. He was leading her towards the bench and Ichigo tugged gently on Ichika's hand, urging them both to follow. As she sat on the bench, Orihime sighed deeply before glancing up at all three concerned faces staring down at her. A tremulous smile broke out on her face as she told them, "I-I'm okay. I'm okay."

It was Kazui who broke the strained tension over them. "Hey, Mom, it's time to do the right thing."

He walked to bend down in front of her, taking hold of both of her hands in his own, looking up into her eyes. The two shared a look, Orihime's lip wobbling but her head jerked downwards in a hesitant nod. Ichigo narrowed his eyes, unable to see what was going on through his son's lanky frame, but he heard Orihime let out another sob and then she was crying again, her head falling against Kazui's shoulder. Stepping forward, Ichika took something from Kazui and faced Ichigo, their hands still connected. She reached for his free hand and slid something warm and small into it that sent a chill running up his arm.

She waited, watching him lift his hand and uncurl his fingers to reveal the silver wedding band he had given Orihime, his eyes welling with tears. Swallowing, he bitterly mumbled, "I've lost my wife and the woman I loved."

A hand kept his fingers from closing onto the ring and he looked up at Ichika. She stared up at him and shook her head, red braid twisting behind her. "Nope. That's why I'm here. Kazu and I…..We knew, since we were little. We saw it, what everyone tried to hide, what our parents never thought we saw."

She nodded her head back at the crying Orihime and Kazui who kept her from falling apart. "You love each other. And I mean, yeah it hurts. But someone is gonna get hurt, no matter what happens. So me and Kazu, well," Ichika's face softened, her eyes growing misty. "I was tired of seeing my Mom in so much pain. That right there," She nodded to the wedding band in his hand, glinting in the light of the moon. "Is your freedom. Hime-ba-chan set you free."

"And this….." She rummaged in her hakama for a moment before lifting their joined hands. Uncurling her hand, she lifted his hand palm up and dropped a smaller band into his open grip. His breath seeped out of him, heart stopping, as he realized what he was staring at. "This is Mom's freedom. Dad and Mom…..They're free, too. So, Ichigo."

He looked up as a bright sun awakened in a frozen world, shining down on a form that lounged back with amber eyes and a tall, black haired man that stood with his head tilted back to it's rays, a smile dancing on his lips. "Is my Mom worth the fight? Or is this only as far as love can go?"

It was all too much and too sudden. This couldn't be happening. He had to fought to protect her, given up their happiness for her safety, and he was damned if he was going to let it be ruined now. He thrust both rings into a single palm and held out his hand, jingling the bands as he stared into those violet orbs. "Yhwach will come and take her away from me. She's….Always the reason I've been fighting. Take them back. He will come –"

"He's going to come back no matter what, Ichigo!" Her small hands crushed his fingers against the rings, glaring up at him through flyaway red bangs. Black tattoo's danced up around her neck, curling behind her ears as her face darkened in an angry, frustrated red. "When did you become such a lazy coward!?"

His mouth fell open to shout that she had no _idea_ what it felt like to give up everything to protect her mother when Kazui's orange hair flickered into view. He clasped both of their hands in his own, tossing a smile between the two of them. "Hey, I think you guys should listen to her."

He nodded his head towards the Kurosaki house and all three turned, Ichika dropping her hands from Ichigo's. The hand that held the rings was trembling and tense, the silver bands sending icy-hot chills up his arm. Despite his protests, his heart thundered against his ribs in a hope he couldn't squash. Red rimmed eyes, wobbly smile, and shiny brown pools gazed at them, Orihime's long orange hair blowing in the coldly gentle wind that whistled by. Her hands were clasped in front of her, fidgeting and alternating between tightening into the fabric of her bathrobe and tangling her fingers together.

She took a deep breath then stepped toward Ichigo, smiling up at him with misty, teary eyes that made him want to erase this night from her memory. The pain in her gaze was a guilt that twisted around his heart, crushing the hope that festered from the kids standing off to the side, holding hands for a future they believed existed. At one time, Ichigo had believed it too. But staring down into Orihime's pain etched gaze, he knew that there was no such thing as Fate.

Black clouds began to billow in the frozen world, the Black Sun fighting to shine. "Orihime….I –"

He blinked in surprise when she raised shaking fingers to his lips, silencing him, as she shook her head. Those long strands of orange swayed behind her and then her voice broke through the dark clouds and the guilt inside of him, hope bursting in his chest. "I was so in love with you I didn't want to see how unhappy you were."

She gave a harsh shake of her head when his lips parted against her fingers and it slowly closed. "You're happy, Ichigo, being here with your family. You love me and Kazui, I know that, but…." Her throat moved with the force of her swallow, her voice hitching. "Ever since that single night, have you touched me? As my husband? As a man? You smile but it doesn't reach your eyes."

Her fingers trailed from his lips, up the tip and bridge of his nose, ghosting across and beneath one of his eyes. "You laugh but it sounds fake. This Ichigo who pretends to be happy? This isn't the Ichigo I love. And I'm the one who selfishly destroyed him." Bright, sparkling tears bloomed painfully at the corner of her eyes and her lip trembled. "I wanted you to love me so much, I didn't stop to think what it would do to you. So, Kurosaki, Ichigo –"

He was unprepared for when her fingers fell away and her lips gently pressed up into his own, soft and smooth despite her age. She was gone before he could even hold her, stepping back and looking at him with tears running down her cheeks.

"Go. Just…..Go." She whispered.

The Black Sun burst forth, free at last, and hope danced wildly in his heart. Without a second thought, Ichigo turned and sprinted, running as quickly as his older body would allow. He had no idea where he was going or what he was even going to do, but the warm hope inside of him spurred him on. Violet orbs framed by thick black lashes fluttered through his mind followed by alabaster cheeks and icy cold skin. A small body wrapped in black with long, black strands of hair darker than the night sky flashed by and suddenly, he was out of breath.

Panting and heaving, gasping for air, Ichigo stumbled to a stop from his sporadic run, glancing around his surroundings. Turns out, he ended up at the place it all began: Kurosaki Clinic stood before him, dark and silent. The moonlight fell on the sign and Ichigo had to blink hard to keep the tears at bay. This place is where it had all begun, when a shinigami had stepped into his room and stolen his heart – though they both wouldn't really know that until much later and even then neither of them would acknowledge it.

He almost wished his Dad was there, standing outside smoking, so he could just fucking talk to someone because if he didn't, he was sure his heart would burst. Ducking his head, he bent down, hands on his knees, and struggled for breath, hope a fire he couldn't douse.

His lungs squeaked as he breathed and he snorted out a chuckle at the irony of it all. Focused on breathing, he didn't hear the quiet zeta until she spoke. "Kazu is taking care of her. She will be okay."

Breath under control, Ichigo remained bent over, hands on his knees digging into the cotton of his pajama pants. "Fuck. What do I do now? I'm still just a human. What the hell was I –"

"There is a way. There is a secret technique but it's forbidden. I'm willing to use it if you're willing to promise you can love my Mom like she deserves." The warning in her voice was clear and Ichigo grinned toothily, proud of the teen lieutenant he knew was standing behind him.

"I've always done that, you stupid brat. Loving Rukia is as fucking easy as breathing." He closed his eyes against the tremors in his body. "But I'm not gonna ask you to do that."

"You're not asking me. I'm telling ya this is what I'm gonna do. I'll separate your soul from your body and then you'll go to meet Mom."

He was way too used to the way things worked now to be fooled and his voice was firm when he asked, "But?"

She was silent a moment before the words were uttered into the night, the full force of what it meant falling on Ichigo's shoulders. "But…..Your body will die. You will be a full fledged shinigami and you'll skip Rukongai, should have all of your memories, but…..Kurosaki, Ichigo will be dead to the human world."

Implications upon implications of those words tumbled around in his head as he realized what she meant: for Ichigo the Shinigami to be born, Ichigo the human had to die. Yuzu, Karin, his goat faced Dad, Orihime…..He would never see them again, not until they died, if even then.

Standing to his full height, decision made, he squared his shoulders and faced Ichika, his eyes steady. She stared back, violet gaze penetrating and the two shared a painful smile. "I choose….."


	3. OMAKE

Red strands blew in the breeze that rustled through her long hair, blowing it to the side, tangling it's warm fingers in those locks of hair that seemed alight in the rays of the bright sun that hung overhead. For once, there wasn't a single cloud in sight. A pure, baby blue sky lit up the background for the bright, blazing sun that burned down on the Seireitei and the Rukongai. The breeze was refreshing yet warm, carrying with it the scent of blooming flowers and the smell of a new beginning, something new and fresh.

It carried with it the sounds of children laughing in the Rukongai streets, the sounds of the merchants as they laughed and chatted, selling their wares. Many sounds roared up from the Rukongai, louder even than the shinigami strolling around below her. From her perch atop the bone white monument that used to be the executioner's block, the black forms of the shinigami appeared only as tiny black dots. The residents of Rukongai even smaller blobs of colour that moved beneath her violet orbs.

A small hand perched against one of the pillars that rose above her, keeping her steady against the tossing winds that curled over her body. Her haori pressed into her skin, her hakama billowing out sideways from her legs and flapping in the wind. A small smile seeped onto her face as she took in a large deep breath, gasping when she felt the sharp nudge in her belly accentuated by a pain in her lower back. Her free hand moved to massage the tender spot as she glared downwards. Sticking out her tongue, she didn't expect the amused chuckles bouncing from her left. Cheeks dusting pink, she glared up at the man that sat atop one of the pillars of the execution stand, towering above her.

His shadow fell over her, his body lit up by the Sun that shone from behind him. A golden sort of glow enveloped him, his light brown – almost honey coloured really – eyes amused and affectionate. A dopey grin quirked his lips, one knee bent so his foot kept him on the stand. His other dangled from the pillar, one arm holding his bent knee to his chest and the other keeping him from falling backwards, flat with fingers curled into the pillar he sat upon. Spiky orange hair danced in the breeze and that was maybe the part she loved best about him.

His strands of brightly coloured hair were spiky but also soft and tumbled around his face, framing his eyes and his cheeks. His hair was as unpredictable as he was and she found that oddly, annoyingly, attractive. Cheeks darkening from pink to red, she hastily looked away but she could feel his grin widen rather than see it.

Another gust of wind whipped her hair out, this time behind her, and her gasp of surprise faded into loud giggles as the wind caressed her. Her belly gave another flop, this time harder, but before she could move her hand from her back to massage it, there was a large, warm body pressed tight against her back. Peeking down to make sure he wasn't floating – how the hell he would have learned that would have made her proudly jealous – she found the very tips of his zeta clad feet keeping him on the beam.

His muscled arms from years of training wrapped around both sides of her, encasing her in his heated warmth, his scent of strawberries and light making her relax back into him. Two of his broad palms rested over her stomach, fingers gently, softly, massaging into the taut flesh. They were quiet, his chin falling atop the soft red strands of her hair, the wind brushing both of them joyously. The sun beat down and it wasn't too long before she felt it again, his fingers stilling their comforting motions.

There. A small flip, a sharp pain, and then the odd sensation of movement that followed. Her hands came to rest over his just as he mumbled into the top of her hair where he placed a soft kiss. "Hope he's not reckless like you, Ichi."

Barking out a laugh, she pinched one of his hands, delighting in the yelp from above her. "Oh, so, what, we want _her_ to be like you, Kazui? Slow and making a fool of herself?"

He bent his head down and rubbed vigorously against the top of her head, their hair creating a static that made her writhe in his arms at the weird tickling sensation it caused. "Kazui! Kazui, stop! Okay okay, ya win! I hope she's like you!"

The deep, vibrating chuckles as he pulled her closer was worth the irritation of her hair sticking up and the triumphant grin she knew he was sporting. A gentle elbow to the ribs was enough to make it fade slightly.

When he next spoke, his voice was soft and tender and the words made tears swell in her eyes. "I don't care what he or she is like. I just want them to be happy and healthy. I want them to know their future is theirs and theirs alone."

"Stupid fucking hormones….." She ignored his snort and swiped at her eyes with a hand before it fell back to Kazui's against her extended belly, still soft from being only 3 months along, yet getting firmer and stronger by the day. "Kazu, are you saying that because of….."

She trailed off, not sure how to continue, and she felt his chin meet the top of her head again. His nod ruffled the locks of hair and his breath when he exhaled was warm. "Yeah. My Dad…..Ichigo made the right choice. I always thought happiness was something we deserved. But it's not. We gotta fight for it. We gotta fight for what we deserve, the happiness we want, and the future?" She felt him lift his head and knew he was looking at the sun. "The future could be anything we want. I want this little guy," He rubbed her belly with his thumbs. "Or girl to know that. I want them to know that their future is their own. That nothing or _no one_ can decide that but them."

Affectionate warmth for the man holding her bloomed in her chest and she tilted her back against his chest, looking at the face of Kurosaki, Kazui and the man he had become. 20 years have passed since the choice Ichigo had made and here his son stood with Abarai, Ichika with the future growing in her belly. And boy, Kazui had grown. The shy, nervous and clumsy teen was gone – his clumsiness was a part of him sadly that remained – and replaced by this tall, confident man she had come to love.

His diamond faced shape had filled out with sharp features but somehow, he retained that gentle softness from his teen years. Warm, happy brown eyes gazed out over Rukongai, those expressively round orbs sweeping the world beyond him like he had all the time in the world. One side of his mouth was lifted in a grin and the other side in a half smile that made his right dimple pop so she had to purse her lips not to poke at it. His orange fringe fell in a spiky mess over his face, framing his small cheekbones.

His nose was long and had been broken once or twice in his life but it remained on his face to Ichika's liking. Sometimes he would lay his head in her lap – a bit harder now with the belly bump bulging slowly outward – and she would stroke a finger down the bridge of his nose, a habit she had somehow developed that calmed the man in even his most furious moments. Her smile grew tender the longer she gazed up at him until, feeling her eyes on him, his head tilted down until their noses touched.

She felt her lids slide over her violet irises as her hands rose to tangle in those bright, fiery locks of orange hair. "Their future is something they will write every damn day they're alive. They will write their own futures. And they will fight for it."

Inhaling deeply, she parted her lips in quiet exhale before tilting her head back and opening her eyes. The sun almost blinded her in it's intensity, the rays shining over her and Kazui bright and warm, teasing the edges of her vision like the future that remained ahead. Her heart swelled as she gazed out over the world that was their home, a strong desire building within her to protect this place so one day, their child could know this home as well as they did. She felt his hum, deep as it rumbled through his chest, his thumbs stroking her belly once more.

Previously tangled hands fell to his own, gripping tight over the baby that grew inside of her. Manoeuvring with Kazui still behind her – he followed her movements almost perfectly, their steps in tune as if moving in sync was hard wired into their DNA – Ichika turned to face the tall, white towering Senzaikyū. The sharp white glittered in the sunlight, a place for those deigned for execution that was no longer being used. She grinned as she remembered, still, to this day the fight that had broken out over it. Shunsui-Sōtaichō had nearly drunk himself stupid over the whole affair, both annoying and embarrassing his future wife, Nanao Ise, by constantly proposing to her even though they were already to be wed.

It had been hilarious and in the end, everyone had had a good time despite the seriousness and the very next day, Shunsui-Sōtaichō had decreed at this very cliff, that execution was no longer a part of them. It had thrilled a lot of Seireitei and it had also angered but in the end, Ichika knew it was for the best. After all, this very thing had nearly been her mother's death if it weren't for Kurosaki, Ichigo who had dared to save her.

She chuckled, rolling her eyes, and Kazui's humming stopped abruptly, his head cocking to the side so his cheek rested on her soft hair. "What's so funny? I don't think I sound that bad."

"You sound like a dying cat." At his fingers tickling the firmness of her growing belly, she cried out through giggles and squeaks, "I was thinkin' 'bout Mom and Ichigo!"

The lean fingers halted and she took deep breaths, smiling, as she gazed at the shining tower in the distance that cast a shadow of history over the hill. Kazui's question caught her off guard for a moment. "What about them?"

She shrugged, her smile dimming slightly. "How they gave up so much, sacrificed so much, fought so hard and in the end….."

He hugged her closer and she stopped, biting her lip in fear the tears would drown her. Stupid hormones! She can't think of _anything_ without bursting into sobs or wanting to tear someone's head off their shoulders! She was going to finish her sentence damn it when there was a loud, resounding smack and a curse, followed by an immediate shout of, "Baka!"

Eyes brightening at the voice, Ichika tilted her head down, leaning over with Kazui's protective embrace keeping her from plummeting to her death. She felt his hair tickle her cheek, knowing he was watching what she was looking at. Her smile grew wide, soft and heart full of joy, at the sight that met her gaze. As it turns out, Fate and the future? It is always up to you to fight for it and make it what you want it to be. Nothing is set in stone and the future is constantly changing, every decision you make affects what your future will become. Every moment of your life, every moment of the present you that exists, shapes your future.

And there is never a future you can't change.

Ichika gripped tight to the hands over the baby in her belly, looking down as Rukia, clearly infuriated, landed another loud 'whap' to the back of Ichigo's head. His bright orange hair had gotten more spiky, his body younger like he had been back when he was 20 something, but the one thing that hadn't changed was the way, when his eyes fell on Rukia, he saw nothing else but her. Retaliating, Ichigo grabbed her by her haori and drug her up, smashing his lips against hers that left both Ichika and Kazui melting in the brightness of the sun, their faces bright red.

But she couldn't look away from the display of love and affection. Her mother's hands tangled in those locks of hair, pulling him down into her as the kiss dissolved from heat and fire, into something much more tender and sweet. Hands falling to her hips, Ichigo let Rukia land on her feet, his mouth parting from hers as he gazed down into her eyes. Even though the two couldn't see the look, they didn't miss the way Rukia responded. Those violet orbs lit up brighter than the Sun and the Moon could ever light up the sky, her smile so tender it nearly made them both weep, but it was the red string of Fate that curled around them both that had both of their breaths catching.

Reaching back, Ichigo grabbed her left hand in his large, broad palm and shifted their hands until they were palm to palm, finger to finger. Their hands fell between them but the rays of the sun caught the silver bands on each of their ring fingers, glinting and glimmering like the bright and shining future they had chosen.

Without a doubt, smile widening, Ichika knew: they had beaten Yhwach, they had, at last, won.

Deep inside of a once frozen world in time, there burned a bright, black sun that was brighter than any star. It shone down on a world of skyscrapers and beautifully frozen ice. Small flakes of snow and small falling black stars fell in these two worlds combined, two souls finally whole, as a man clothed in shadows danced with a woman made of snow and ice. Their palms together, they danced through this world, eyes locked. Off to the side, leaning against a tilted skyscraper, an amber eyed man with a pure white face grinned, looking up at the black sun before peals of laughter broke from his lips.

There is never one set future, you see. There are many futures, many paths, and many ways to get there. All you have to do is live. Live and fight and believe with all you have. Carve your future with your own hands, carve it with every decision you make, every path you decide to walk, and every choice you decide.

But most important?

Know only this: it is never too late.


End file.
